Method of forming caskets



Oct. 15, 1968 F. 1.. CHAFFEE 3,406,054

METHOD OF FORMING GASKETS Filed July 20, 196 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FLOYD L.CHAFFEE BY FULWIDERPATTONRIEBER,

LEE & UTECHT ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1968 F. L. CHAFFEE 3,406,054.

METHOD OF FORMING GASKETS 3 Sheets-Shem 2 Filed July 20, 1964 '"WINI 1"" INVENTOR. FLOYD L.CHAFFEE BY FULWIDER, PAT TONRIEBER, E LEE &UTECHT ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1968 F. L. CHAFFEE 3,406,054

METHOD OF FORMING GASKETS Filed July 20, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FLOYD L. CHAFFEE BY FULWIDERPATTONRIEBER,

LEE &UTECHT ATTORNEYS United States Patent ice 3,406,054 METHOD OF FORMING CASKETS Floyd L. Chaifee, Spring Valley, Calif., assignor to Crowley Casket Company, Inc., San Diego, Calif., a corporation of California Filed July 20, 1964, Ser. No. 383,708 1 Claim. (Cl. 156250) The present invention relates to a step in the method of forming a casket of the type that is formed of fiber glass cloth and mat, impregnated with polyester resin.

In practicing the present invention, a strip of fiber glass, cloth and mat impregnated with polyester resin is molded, having a length at least equal to the combined lengths of both sides and both ends of the casket. The contour of the strip conforms to the contour of the outer sides and ends of the completed casket. After molding the elongated strip, it is severed into four pieces, embodying both sides and both ends of the casket; the severing is at angles of 45 respective to the length of the strip. After the strip is severed, one of the ends is placed in a horizontal position in a fixture which has a bottom wall which conforms in shape to the end. This fixture also comprises two confronting vertical walls which conform in shape to the shape of the side walls. The two side walls are also placed in a vertical position in the fixture and in adjoining relationship with the opposite edges of the end wall. The bottom edges of the two upright side walls are secured to the opposite edges of the end wall, as for example, by an epoxy. After this securing is effected, the assembly is lifted out of the fixture and the other end wall is placed in the fixture in the same manner as described with respect to the first mentioned end wall. The assembly is then inverted and placed in the fixture with the then lower edges of the side walls in abutting relationship with the opposite edges of the end wall, now in the fixture. Thereafter, the then lower edges of the side walls are secured to the opposite edges of the end wall.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the casket sans the top;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the strip from which the two ends and the two sides of the casket are formed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the strip after being severed;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the fixture;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of both sides and one end of the casket prior to being connected with one another;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of both sides and one end of the strips secured to one another and showing the other end disconnected from the assembly;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the fixture shown on FIG. 4 and showing one of the ends and both sides in position, the section of the fixture being taken along line 77 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the casket with the parts in exploded position; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the casket is shown at including two confronting side walls 22 and 24, two end Walls 26 and 28, reinforcing frame 30 at the top of the casket; a fiber bottom wall 32 and a reinforcing wood bottom wall 34.

3,406,054 Patented Oct. 15, 1968 The first step in the method of manufacturing the casket consists in forming a fiber glass impregnated strip in a mold which conforms in shape to the outer shape of the side walls and end walls of the casket. Such strip is shown at 36 in FIG. 2. The next step consists in severing this strip 36 as shown at 38, 40, 42, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 as is more clearly shown in FIG. 3. This severing is done by a saw and at angles of 45 with respect to the length of the strip. This results in forming the side walls 22 and 24 and the end walls 26 and 28. These side walls and one of the ends are shown in FIG. 5.

After the strip is severed into the four pieces, one of the ends, for example end 26, is placed in a fixture 56. This fixture includes a bottom section 58 and two sides 60 and 62. The top surface of the bottom or base 58 is shown at 64 and it conforms in shape to the ends. The confronting surfaces 66 and 68 conform in shape to the side walls 22 and 24. Likewise, the side walls 22 and 24 are also placed in the fixture in an upright or vertical position as is shown in FIG. 7. After the sides are placed in this position, an H-shaped element 70 is inserted between the sides 22 and 24 for holding the same in position. Thereafter, the then lower edges 72 and 74 of the sides 22 and 24 are suitably secured to the opposite edges 76 and 78 of the end 26, as for example, by mats 80 which are impregnated with an epoxy.

After the epoxy is hardened, the assembly including the two sides 22 and 24 and the end 26 is withdrawn from the fixture and then inverted. The other end 28 is then placed in the fixture and thereafter the assembly is also placed in the fixture with the lower edges 80 and 82 of the sides 22 and 24 in contact with the opposite edges 84 and 86 of the end 28. These edges are then secured to one another in the same manner as previously explained with respect to edges 72, 74, 76 and 78.

After the epoxy hardens, the assembly is withdrawn from the fixture. The fiber glass bottom is secured by epoxy to the bottom of the sides and ends and then the reinforcing wood bottom is attached in any suitable manner. Thereafter, the four strips forming the reinforcing wood frame 30 are added, one at a time, to the underside of the top and end.

Thus, it is apparent from the foregoing, that a sturdy casket is formed requiring only one simple fixture and one simple mold, materially reducing the cost of molds for forming the casket and by reducing the cost of the manufacture of the casket.

While the forms of embodiment herein shown and described, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms may be adopted falling within the scope of the claims that follow.

I claim:

1. Those steps in the method of forming a casket frame which steps comprise:

(A) molding a strip of fiber glass, mat impregnated with polyester having a length at least equal to the lengths of both sides and both ends of the casket which strip conforms to the design of the sides and end of the complete casket;

(B) severing the strip into four pieces, embodying both sides and both ends of the casket, such severing being at angles of 45 degrees relative to the length of the strip;

(C) placing one of the ends in a horizontal position and the two sides in upright positions in a fixture having 'a bottom wall conforming to the shape of the end and the interior side walls conforming to the shape of the side walls;

s V r IT4 (D) securing the edges of said end to the lower edges 4 i References Cited (gig sides while said end and the sides are in the UNITED STATES PATENTS (E) removing the assembly from the fixture and invert- 1,836,354 12/1931 Abrams 29*476 ing the same; 5 2,045,770 6/1936 Golden 29476 (F) placing the other of said ends, in a horizcntal 3,153,930 1/ 1965 S nley. 7 29-493 fgjigf g and Placmg Inverted as DOUGLAS J. DRUMMOND, Primary Exqminer. (G) 'and securing the edges of the said other end to v t 1 the then lower edges of the sides. 10 

1. THOSE STEPS IN THE METHOD OF FORMING A CASKET FRAME WHICH STEPS COMPRISE: (A) MOLDING A STRIP OF FIBER GLASS, MAT IMPREGNATED WITH POLYESTER HAVING A LENGTH AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE LENGTHS OF BOTH SIDES AND BOTH ENDS OF THE CASKET WHICH STRIP CONFORMS TO THE DESIGN OF THE SIDES AND END OF THE COMPLETE CASKET; (B) SEVERING THE STRIP INTO FOUR PIECES, EMBODYING BOTH SIDES AND BOTH ENDS OF THE CASKET, SUCH SEVERING BEING AT ANGLES OF 45 DEGREES RELATIVE TO THE LENGTH OF THE STRIP; (C) PLACING ONE OF THE ENDS IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION AND THE TWO SIDES IN UPRIGHT POSITIONS IN A FIXTURE HAVING A BOTTOM WALL CONFORMING TO THE SHAPE OF THE END AND THE INTERIOR SIDE WALLS CONFORMING TO THE SHAPE OF THE SIDE WALLS; (D) SECURING THE EDGES OF SAID END TO THE LOWER EDGES OF THE SIDES WHILE SAID END AND THE SIDES ARE IN THE FIXTURE; (E) REMOVING THE ASSEMBLY FROM THE FIXTURE AND INVERTING THE SAME; (F) PLACING THE OTHER OF SAID ENDS IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION IN THE FIXTURE AND PLACING THE INVERTED ASSEMBLY IN THE FIXTURE; (G) AND SECURING THE EDGES OF THE SAID OTHER END TO THE THEN LOWER EDGES OF THE SIDES. 